Published Thursday, January 07, 2010 in Twisted Roots Radio
By Brian
I hope everyone had a happy new year and is doing well as we start off 2010! I had a great time away from my “day job” and had a chance to recharge my batteries for the beter pat of two weeks - no complaints there!
I had a fun time doing a best of 2009 set on my last radio show. For those not tuning in, you can go to www.wcniradio.org to stream the station. I am on for the very musician un-friendly time of 6-9AM on Saturdays (yeah, I know it IS rude - but it works for my schedule…).
As a voting member of the Freeform Americana Roots chart, I had the opportunity to reflect on the “best of” for 2009. There was lots of great music (both listed as well as not listed here), so this list is a very subjective listing of some of my favorites from 2009:
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
* Scott Macleod: Old Soul (Self)
* Bottle Rockets: Lean Forward (Bloodshot)
* Various Artists: Keep Your Soul – A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard)
* Todd Snider: The Excitement Plan (Yep Roc)
* Patrick Bloom: Ghosts of Radio (Mud Dauber)
* Gurf Morlix: Last Exit To Happyland (Self)
DEBUT ALBUM
* Leo Rondeau: Down At The End of the Bar (self)
* The Mayflies A Thousand Small Things (Mud Dauber)
* Israel Nash Gripka; New York Town (self)
* Bourgeois Gypsies: Faulty Fairytales (Kaiam)
VARIOUS ARTISTS/TRIBUTE ALBUM
* Various Artists: Keep Your Soul – A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard)
* Various Artists: Chris Gaffney Tribute - Man of Somebody’s Dreams (Yep Roc)
REISSUE ALBUM (up to 3)
* Neil Young: Archives (Reprise)
* Drive-By Truckers: The Fine Print (New West)
* Nick Lowe: Quiet Please (Yep Roc)
FEMALE ARTIST:
* Rosie Flores
* Shannon McNally
* Carrie Rodriguez
MALE ARTIST:
* Dave Alvin
* James McMurtry
* JJ Cale
INSTRUMENTALIST:
* Gurf Morlix
* Dave Alvin
* Ian Mclagan
DUO/GROUP:
* Bottle Rockets
* Drive By Truckers
* The Felice Brothers
SONGWRITER:
* Todd Snider
* James McMurtry
* Fred Eaglesmith
BEST IN THE INDUSTRY (in no particular order)
* Jay Lewis (Yep Roc)
* Fred Boenig
* Jenni Finlay
‘till next month, take care (and if you are on the East coast, stay warm!)
- Brian